The Victorian Melanoma Service at the Alfred Hospital is an outpatient service for patients with biopsy proven
melanoma (primary or metastatic).

The philosophy of the clinic is patient
centred. Patients are fully informed and
and where possible encouraged and supported to make their own decisions regarding
management.

Location & Hours

The clinic is at the Alfred Hospital, on the corner of Commercial Rd and St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. The clinic runs every Wednesday (except public Holidays) from 8.30am to 1.30pm.

What patients can expect

Prior to your visit our clinic coordinator will contact the pathology laboratory that dealt with your melanoma and arrange for the relevant slides to be sent over to The Alfred Pathology Department for re-assessment and reporting by our expert pathologists.

Your visit will begin with meeting our clinic coordinator. We encourage you to have a partner, relative or friend with you. You will be told what to expect during your visit and asked questions relating to your melanoma and relevant background. You will be invited to participate in research trials but you are under no obligation to be involved in research.

You will then be seen by a doctor who will ask for further detail about your melanoma, previous skin cancers, family history of skin cancer and your general health. Your skin will be examined thoroughly and your lymph nodes checked. There will be time for you to raise any concerns that you have at this stage. Your history and examination findings will then be presented to one of our senior consultants, who will examine you again, explain your situation, discuss the decisions that need to be made and answer any remaining questions that you may have.

You will then be free to go and have some lunch and think over what you have heard. You will be asked to return to the clinic at 12.45pm to meet the specialist or specialists who will be most closely involved in your management. While you are having lunch a panel meeting is held at 12.00 midday at which there will be discussion about your problem with a panel comprising experts in pathology (who present the review of your pathology slides), dermatology (who present the assessment of your skin), plastic surgery, surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology (all of whom deal with aspects of treatment). The multidisciplinary group will formulate a treatment plan for you which takes into account your particular needs and preferences.

When you return to the clinic you will then meet the particular specialist or specialists who are most appropriate to your needs and have a further discussion about your treatment.
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Our goals

To receive a diagnosis of melanoma is always challenging and it is very helpful in dealing with this challenge to have as much information as possible about your melanoma and its treatment Our aim is to inform you fully about your situation to enable you to make appropriate choices about its management. Our multidisciplinary team will develop a management plan for you that takes into account your personal situation and the local medical services available to you. We will involve your doctor in the management plan and pass back all the information relating to your visit in a letter. We generally recommend that you return to your referring doctor for ongoing follow-up unless you need specific specialist care. We are there to support your doctor in his or her care of you. Should the need arise your doctor can refer you back to us. top of page

Who can attend the clinic

Patients referred to the clinic must have a biopsy proven new diagnosis of primary or metastatic (secondary) melanoma. A referral from your doctor is required. We encourage you to bring a partner, relative or friend to support you and help you listen to what is said. top of page